KIEV, July 17 – The number of merger and acquisitions on the Ukrainian market in 2009 is expected to grow by three or four times year-over-year, according to experts polled by Interfax-Ukraine.

"According to our forecasts, this year the number of deals will grow by three or four times year-over-year. In monetary terms the market would be around $1.5-2 billion. The forecast does not take into account the possibility of large deals with the exchange of assets in the metals sector and the recapitalization of Ukrainian banks by the state," said the managing director at Kiev-based Concorde Capital Investment Company, Viktor Strukov.